Uniform force hydrostatic bolster plate

ABSTRACT

A method and apparatus to mount a uniform force hydrostatic bolster plate to a substrate. One embodiment of the invention involves a method to assemble a uniform force hydrostatic bolster plate on a substrate. A second embodiment of the invention involves a method to fabricate a uniform force hydrostatic bolster plate. A third embodiment of the invention involves an assembled substrate with a uniform force hydrostatic bolster plate on the opposite side of the assembled substrate, under an electrical contact area of a component on the assembled substrate.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] This invention relates generally to a bolster plate to support asubstrate subject to high clamping forces for integrated circuit (IC)components, and more specifically relates to a bolster plate to supporta printed circuit board assembled with one or more land grid array (LGA)IC components.

[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art

[0004] In many data processing systems (e.g., computer systems,programmable electronic systems, telecommunication switching systems,control systems, and so forth) very large pin count electricalcomponents (e.g., application specific integrated circuits and processorchips) are assembled on substrates (e.g., printed circuit boards, otherflexible substrates, multi-chip modules, and equivalents). One type ofpackaging that is frequently used for a very large pin count electricalcomponent is what is commonly known as a land grid array (LGA)component. Electrical connections between the LGA component pins and thecorresponding conductive pads on the substrate are frequently achievedby compressing an elastomeric insulating material containing severalperpendicular conductive channels (e.g., buttons or columns filled withconductive balls or conductive threads).

[0005] In order to achieve reliable electrical connection between thepins and the pads, such LGA components are clamped by bolts to thesubstrate with high perpendicular clamping forces (exceeding severalhundred pounds or several hundred newtons of force). However, such largeperpendicular forces can cause distortion in the normally flatsubstrate, and the lack of flatness can cause poor electrical contactsthat produce a permanent or an intermittent failure in system operation.Therefore, a bolster plate is frequently attached under a LGA componentclamped area of the substrate to support the substrate. The bolsterplate provides extra rigidity to the substrate, and the bolster platehelps to maintain the flatness of the substrate under the LGA component.

[0006]FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional bolster plate 102 assembledunder a substrate (e.g., a printed circuit board) 104, opposite to theattachment of a LGA component 106 by clamp 108 into a socket 110 on thetop of the substrate 104. The conventional bolster plate 102 is designedto provide flatness and rigidity to the substrate 104, and provide auniform load distribution across the contact region of the LGA component106 when the clamp (e.g., a heat-sink, a heat-pipe, a cooling fan, amechanical clamp, and equivalents) 108 is bolted to the substrate 104 bybolts 114 and springs 112.

[0007] Conventional bolster plates are typically fabricated from athick, heavy metal plate coated with one or more insulating layers, orthey are fabricated from an expensive thermo-set composite material(e.g., a graphite fiber epoxy composite). Conventional bolster platesalso need a very precise flatness tolerance to insure uniform mechanicalsupport. Additionally, such bolster plates are constrained in thicknessand dimensions by the increasing packing densities of nearby substrates.Thick and heavy bolster plates may touch and damage adjacent componentson adjacent substrates, and can be especially detrimental to systemreliability when the system is subject to shock and vibration. However,thin and light bolster plates may distort and fail to adequately supportthe substrate when high clamping forces are used for high pin count LGAcomponents. Since the pin counts for IC components are continuallyincreasing, clamping forces for LGA components and the resultingsubstrate distortions are also increasing. Without an improved bolsterplate to counter such distortions, there will be an increasing number ofpoor electrical contacts between LGA components and the substrates,resulting in increasing operational and reliability failures.

[0008] It would be desirable to provide an improved bolster plate thatcan supply the necessary uniform mechanical support to a substrate, andmaintain the desired flatness of the electrical contact area under an ICcomponent. In addition, this improved bolster plate would preferably beformed from thinner material, due to the reduction in open spaceadjacent to the substrate in a computer system.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The present invention provides an improved bolster plate that cansupply the necessary uniform mechanical support to a substrate, andmaintain the desired flatness of the electrical contact area under an ICcomponent. In addition, this improved bolster plate can be formed fromthinner material, compared to the material needed in a conventionalbolster plate.

[0010] A first aspect of the invention is directed to a method toassemble a uniform force hydrostatic bolster plate to one side of asubstrate having a first side and a second side. The method includesattaching a component to an electrical contact area on the second sideof the substrate; filling a bladder with a material; inserting thebladder into an hollow plate; and attaching the bladder and the hollowplate to the first side of the substrate, wherein the bladder and thehollow plate are attached to the first side of the substrate oppositethe electrical contact area on the second side of the substrate.

[0011] A second aspect of the invention is directed to a method tofabricate a uniform force hydrostatic bolster plate. The method includesselecting a set of physical dimensions for a bladder and a hollow plateincorporated in the uniform force hydrostatic bolster plate; modelingthe uniform force hydrostatic bolster plate after an assembly on asubstrate; estimating an improved set of physical dimensions for thebladder and the hollow plate after modeling the uniform forcehydrostatic bolster plate after assembly of the uniform force bolsterplate and a component on the substrate; fabricating a bladder prototypeand a hollow plate prototype according to the improved set of physicaldimensions; and putting the bladder prototype filled with asubstantially non-compressible material into the hollow plate prototype,such that the bladder prototype extends in height above the hollow plateprototype.

[0012] A third aspect of the invention is directed to an assembledsubstrate. The assembled substrate includes a substrate having a firstand a second side, and an electrical contact area on the first side; anelectrical component having a plurality of leads attached to theelectrical contact area of the substrate; and a uniform forcehydrostatic bolster plate attached to the second side of the substrateopposite the electrical contact area of the substrate, wherein theuniform force hydrostatic bolster plate includes a bladder, a materialinside the bladder, and an hollow plate to enclose the bladder, whereinthe hollow plate is open on one side.

[0013] These and other objects and advantages of the invention willbecome apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detaileddescription of the invention and the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014]FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional bolster plate assembled under aprinted circuit board (PCB), opposite to the attachment of a LGAcomponent to the top of the PCB.

[0015]FIG. 2 illustrates one embodiment of a uniform force hydrostaticbolster plate prior to assembly under a substrate (e.g., a PCB),opposite to the attachment of a LGA component to the top of thesubstrate.

[0016]FIG. 3 illustrates in a perspective view one embodiment of auniform force hydrostatic bolster plate with a hollow plate, a cavity inthe hollow plate, and a fluid-filled bladder.

[0017]FIG. 4 illustrates a cross-sectional side view of a uniform forcehydrostatic bolster plate with a bladder that conforms to a substrateduring the application of the perpendicular clamping force between thesubstrate and the uniform force hydrostatic bolster plate.

[0018]FIG. 5 shows one flow chart for a method to assemble a uniformforce hydrostatic bolster plate on a substrate as shown in FIG. 2 inaccordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

[0019]FIG. 6 shows a flow chart for a method to fabricate a uniformforce hydrostatic bolster plate in accordance with one preferredembodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0020] The present invention provides an improved bolster plate that isrelatively thinner and lighter in weight than conventional bolsterplates. This improved bolster plate is attached to a substrate under anelectrical component mounted on the substrate, such as a printed circuitboard (PCB) or multi-chip module. While the discussion below is directedto an application of the invention to an LGA assembled on a substrate(e.g., a PCB), the invention can also be applied to other types ofelectrical components assembled on a distortable substrate (e.g.,flexible substrates, and other substrates upon which electricalcomponents can be assembled).

[0021]FIG. 2 illustrates one embodiment of a uniform force hydrostaticbolster plate prior to assembly under a substrate (e.g., a PCB) 104,opposite to the attachment of a LGA component 106 to the top of thesubstrate 104. This illustrated embodiment of a uniform forcehydrostatic bolster plate includes a hollow plate 202, a cavity 204 inthe hollow plate 202, and a bladder 206 filled with a non-compressiblefluid. The LGA component 106 is inserted in a socket 110, and the LGAcomponent 106 is clamped to the substrate 104 by clamp 108. The clampingof the LGA component 106 is complete when the clamp 108 is bolted to thesubstrate 104 by bolts 114 and springs 112. The uniform forcehydrostatic bolster plate 202 is designed to provide flatness andrigidity to the substrate 104, and provide a uniform load distributionacross the contact region of the LGA component 106.

[0022] The hollow plate 202 can be fabricated from the followingmaterials: a stainless steel alloy, a titanium steel alloy, a springsteel alloy, a magnesium alloy, an aluminum alloy, a composite, or aplastic. One preferred embodiment of the invention has a hollow platefabricated from a stainless steel alloy. Stainless steel is corrosionresistant and would not require plating or painting after stamping.Stainless steel also has sufficient strength and stiffness, and wouldnot require any heat treatment. The hollow plate 202 is designed tocontain a bladder that will counteract the perpendicular clamping forceto provide flatness and rigidity to the PCB 104, and provide a uniformload distribution across the contact region of the LGA component 106.

[0023]FIG. 3 illustrates in a perspective view one embodiment of auniform force hydrostatic bolster plate with a hollow plate 202, acavity 204 in the hollow plate, and a fluid-filled bladder 206. Thebladder liquid can be water, a glycol solution, an oil mixture, awater-based gel, or an oil-based gel. The bladder liquid is preferablyrelatively non-compressible, non-flammable, and non-corrosive. Thebladder bag is also preferably relatively non-compressible,non-flammable, and non-corrosive. The bladder bag preferably includes animpermeable elastomeric material (e.g., a plastic, a rubber, or afabric).

[0024] Since the height of the bladder 206 is slightly higher than thehollow plate 202, and the bladder liquid and bladder bag conform to thesurface of the substrate (not shown), a tight tolerance in flatness isnot necessary for the hollow plate. The hollow plate 202 of the uniformforce hydrostatic bolster plate can be molded at a much lower cost thana conventional machined bolster plate. An alternative embodiment of theinvention uses a stamped metal hollow plate, which is still normallylower in cost than a machined bolster plate.

[0025]FIG. 4 illustrates a cross-sectional side view of a uniform forcehydrostatic bolster plate with a bladder 206 that conforms to asubstrate 104 during the application of the perpendicular clamping forcebetween the substrate 104 and the uniform force hydrostatic bolsterplate. The LGA component 106 is inserted in a socket 110, and the LGAcomponent 106 is clamped to the substrate 104 by clamp 108. The clampingof the LGA component 106 is complete when the clamp 108 is bolted to thesubstrate 104 by bolts 114 (shown in FIG. 2) and springs 112. Thisillustrated embodiment of a uniform force hydrostatic bolster plateincludes a hollow plate 202, a cavity (shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3) inthe hollow plate 202, and a bladder 206 filled with a non-compressiblefluid. Since the bladder 206 extended above the hollow plate 202 beforefinal assembly to the substrate 104, the cavity 204 shown in FIG. 2 andFIG. 3 is completely filled by the bladder 206 after final assembly ofthe uniform force hydrostatic bolster plate to the substrate 104.

[0026]FIG. 5 shows one flow chart for a method to assemble a uniformforce hydrostatic bolster plate on a substrate as shown in FIG. 2 inaccordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The methodstarts in operation 502, and is followed by operation 504. In operation504, a component is attached to the electrical contact area on one sideof a substrate. In operation 506, a fluid-filled bladder and a hollowplate are assembled into a uniform force hydrostatic bolster plate. Inoperation 508, the uniform force hydrostatic bolster plate is attachedopposite the component and electrical contact area on the first side ofthe substrate. Operation 510 is the end of the method.

[0027]FIG. 6 shows a flow chart for a method to fabricate a uniformforce hydrostatic bolster plate in accordance with one preferredembodiment of the present invention. The method starts in operation 602,and is followed by operation 604. In operation 604, an estimate (e.g., ahand calculation) is made of the physical dimensions needed for abladder and a hollow plate that make a uniform force hydrostatic bolsterplate under a uniform load predicted from the clamping force that willbe applied to the LGA component assembled on a substrate. In operation606, a 3-Dimensional computer aided design (CAD) software package (e.g.,Pro/ENGINEER, available from PTC Corporation with corporate headquartersin Needham, Mass.; SolidDesigner, available from CoCreate Software, Inc.with corporate headquarters in Fort Collins, Colo.; SolidWorks,available from SolidWorks Corporation with corporate headquarters inConcord, Mass.; or an equivalent CAD package) is used to create a modelof the uniform force hydrostatic bolster plate assuming the previouslyselected physical dimensions of the bladder and the hollow plate. Thenoperation 608 is next. In operation 608, a finite element analysis (FEA)software package (e.g., Pro/MECHANICA, available from PTC Corporationwith corporate headquarters in Needham, Mass.; Ansys, available fromAnsys, Inc. with corporate headquarters in Canonsburg, Pa.; Cosmos,available from Structural Research & Analysis Corporation with corporateheadquarters in Los Angeles, Calif.; or an equivalent FEA package) isused to model the stresses and the predict the final shape of theuniform force hydrostatic bolster plate after assembly of the uniformforce hydrostatic bolster plate and the component to the substrate. Inoperation 610, a test is made to determine if the FEA software packagepredicts that that the uniform force hydrostatic bolster plate maintainsa uniform force after assembly. If the test of operation 610 determinesthat the uniform force hydrostatic bolster plate will not provide auniform force, operation 612 is next where the operator decides on a newset of physical dimensions for the bladder and hollow plate. Thenoperations 606, 608, and 610 are repeated. If the test of the operation610 determines that the uniform force hydrostatic bolster plate willprovide the necessary support after assembly under the component, thenoperation 614 is next. In operation 614 a uniform force hydrostaticbolster plate prototype, including a bladder prototype and hollow plateprototype, is fabricated. Operation 616 is next, where the uniform forcehydrostatic bolster plate prototype is assembled to the substrate toverify that the uniform force hydrostatic bolster plate prototype willprovide a uniform force. Then operation 618 is next, where a test ismade to determine if the uniform force hydrostatic bolster plateprototype provides a satisfactory amount of support. If the test ofoperation 618 verifies that the uniform force hydrostatic bolster plateprototype does not provide a satisfactory amount of support, thenoperation 612 is next. If the test of operation 618 verifies that theuniform force hydrostatic bolster plate prototype is satisfactory, thenthe method ends in operation 620.

[0028] The embodiments of the invention discussed above mainly describedexamples of substrates assembled with LGA components. However,alternative embodiments of the invention can be applied to othercomponents (e.g., clamped IC components, transformers, power supplies,connectors, or other devices that can cause substrate distortion by anattachment force, clamping force, or from the weight of the component).

[0029] The exemplary embodiments described herein are for purposes ofillustration and are not intended to be limiting. Therefore, thoseskilled in the art will recognize that other embodiments could bepracticed without departing from the scope and spirit of the claims setforth below.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method to assemble a uniform force hydrostaticbolster plate to one side of a substrate having a first side and asecond side, comprising: attaching a component to an electrical contactarea on said second side of said substrate; filling a bladder with amaterial; inserting said bladder into a hollow plate; and attaching saidbladder and said hollow plate to said first side of said substrate,wherein said bladder and said hollow plate are attached to said firstside opposite said electrical contact area on said second side of saidsubstrate.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein said component is a landgrid array (LGA) component.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein saidsubstrate is selected from a group of substrates consisting of: aprinted circuit board (PCB), a multi-chip module (MCM), and a flexiblesubstrate.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein said hollow plate includesa material selected from a group of materials consisting of: a stainlesssteel alloy, a spring steel alloy, a titanium steel alloy, a magnesiumalloy, an aluminum alloy, a composite, or a plastic.
 5. The method ofclaim 1, wherein said bladder incorporates a substantiallynon-compressible liquid.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein said bladderis comprised of an impermeable elastomeric material selected from agroup of materials consisting of: a plastic, a rubber, or a fabric. 7.The method of claim 1, wherein said material inside said bladder isselected from a group of materials consisting of: water, a glycolsolution, an oil mixture, a water-based gel, or an oil-based gel.
 8. Amethod to fabricate a uniform force hydrostatic bolster plate,comprising: selecting a set of physical dimensions for a bladder and ahollow plate incorporated in said uniform force hydrostatic bolsterplate; modeling said uniform force hydrostatic bolster plate afterassembly on a substrate; estimating an improved set of physicaldimensions for said bladder and said hollow plate after modeling saiduniform force hydrostatic bolster plate after assembly of said uniformforce bolster plate and a component on said substrate; fabricating abladder prototype and a hollow plate prototype according to saidimproved set of physical dimensions; and putting said bladder prototypefilled with a substantially non-compressible material into said hollowplate prototype, such that said bladder prototype extends in heightabove said hollow plate prototype.
 9. The method of claim 8, whereinsaid uniform force hydrostatic bolster plate includes a materialselected from a group of materials consisting of: a stainless steelalloy, a powder-coated spring steel alloy, a plated spring steel alloy,a painted spring steel alloy, a titanium steel alloy, a magnesium alloy,an aluminum alloy, a composite, or a plastic.
 10. The method of claim 8,wherein said component is a land grid array (LGA) component.
 11. Themethod of claim 8, wherein said bladder incorporates a substantiallynon-compressible liquid.
 12. The method of claim 8, wherein said bladderis made from an impermeable elastomeric material chosen from the groupof impermeable elastomeric materials consisting of: a plastic, a rubber,or a fabric.
 13. The method of claim 8, wherein said material insidesaid bladder is selected from a group of materials consisting of: water,a glycol solution, an oil mixture, a water-based gel, or an oil-basedgel.
 14. An assembled substrate, comprising a substrate having a firstand a second side, and an electrical contact area on said first side; anelectrical component having a plurality of leads attached to saidelectrical contact area of said substrate; and a uniform forcehydrostatic bolster plate attached to said second side of said substrateopposite said electrical contact area of said substrate, wherein saiduniform force hydrostatic bolster plate includes: a bladder, a materialinside said bladder, and a hollow plate to enclose said bladder, whereinsaid hollow plate is open on one side.
 15. The assembled substrate ofclaim 14, wherein said substrate is chosen from a group of substratesconsisting of: a printed circuit board (PCB), a multi-chip module (MCM),and a flexible substrate.
 16. The assembled substrate of claim 14,wherein said component is a land grid array (LGA) component.
 17. Theassembled substrate of claim 14, wherein said uniform force hydrostaticbolster plate includes a hollow plate fabricated from a materialselected from a group of materials consisting of: a stainless steelalloy, a powder-coated spring steel alloy, a plated spring steel alloy,a painted spring steel alloy, a titanium steel alloy, a magnesium alloy,an aluminum alloy, or a plastic.
 18. The assembled substrate of claim14, wherein said material of said bladder incorporates a substantiallynon-compressible liquid.
 19. The assembled substrate of claim 14,wherein said bladder is made from an impermeable elastomeric materialchosen from a group of impermeable elastomeric materials consisting of:a plastic, a rubber, or a fabric.
 20. The assembled substrate of claim14, wherein said material inside said bladder is selected from a groupof materials consisting of: water, a glycol solution, an oil mixture, awater-based gel, or an oil-based gel.